Many portable electronic devices like digital cameras, include a flippable display on the body of the portable devices having a self-timer for taking pictures. A user of the digital camera can flip the flippable display toward himself for taking self-portraits. Generally, a pivoting shaft is employed to connect the flippable display with the digital device. By utilizing the pivoting shaft, the flippable display is rotatable through various angles to a desired position.
It is desirable that the portable device keep the display image at an upright orientation as viewed by the user, no matter how the flippable display has been rotated. A flip mechanism employed in a typical portable device is shown in FIG. 1. A flippable display 10 is connected to the body 14 by a pivoting shaft 15. The body 14 includes a housing 141, a Hall sensor IC 12 received inside the housing 141, and a permanent magnet 11 disposed inside the flippable display 10. When the flippable display 10 is rotated, the permanent magnet 11 moves simultaneously with the flippable display 10 and induces the Hall sensor IC 12 to create a magnetic signal. The magnetic signal is sent to a digital signal processor 16 of the portable device for further calculation to determine whether or not to reorient the image shown on the display. Accordingly, no matter how the flippable display is rotated, the image shown on the flippable display 10 can be automatically maintained at an upright orientation.
However, because the permanent magnet 11 is located away from the Hall sensor IC 12, induction therebetween might fail if the flippable display 10 is rotated beyond a certain degree. The image shown in the flippable display 10 may not be oriented correctly. To solve this problem, it is pretty common to enlarge the size of the permanent magnet 11 to enhance induction with the Hall sensor IC 12. As a result, the flippable display 10 has to be increased in size accordingly to receive the permanent magnet 11. However, it is against development in portable electronic device technology to enlarge any part thereof. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a portable electronic device with a flippable display in a compact volume.